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Global Recreation Market (2022 to 2031) – Featuring Maruhan, Flutter Entertainment and Tabcorp Holdings Among Others

Published

4 years ago

March 9, 2022

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The “Recreation Global Market Report 2022, By Type, Age Group, Revenue Source” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets’ offering.

This report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global recreation market as it emerges from the Covid 19 shut down.

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Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 50+ geographies.
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Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis.
Identify growth segments for investment.
Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market.
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Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high quality data and analysis

Description:

Where is the largest and fastest growing market for the recreation? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The Recreation market global report answers all these questions and many more.

The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market’s historic and forecast market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider recreation market, and compares it with other markets.

The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market.
The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, the impact of the Covid 19 virus and forecasting its recovery.
Market segmentations break down market into sub markets.
The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers the impact and recovery trajectory of Covid 19 for all regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets.
Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.
The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers.
The recreation market section of the report gives context. It compares the recreation market with other segments of the recreation market by size and growth, historic and forecast. It analyses GDP proportion, expenditure per capita, recreation indicators comparison.

Major companies in the recreation market include China Sports Lottery, China Welfare Lottery, The Walt Disney Company, Sociedad Estatal Loterias y Apuestas del Estado S.A., Maruhan, Flutter Entertainment plc., The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Tabcorp Holdings Ltd., CJ Corp. and Oriental Land Company Ltd.

The global recreation market is expected to grow from $960.66 billion in 2021 to $1485.79 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 54.7%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $2557.38 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 14.5%.

The recreation market consists of sales of the use of recreational facilities, and recreational services and related goods by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that provide recreational services. Recreational activities include taking part in sporting activities and visiting museums, historical sites, zoos and parks and also witnessing spectator sports and events. Gambling except casino hotels can also be considered to be part of recreation market.

The main types of recreation are amusements, arts and sports. Sports services provide live sporting events before a paying audience or entities that operate golf courses and country clubs, skiing facilities, marinas, fitness and recreational sports centers, and bowling centers. The different age groups include aged 35 and younger, aged 35-54, aged 55 and older and involves various revenue sources such as media rights, merchandising, tickets and sponsorship.

Asia Pacific was the largest region in the recreation market in 2021. Eastern Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the recreation market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

The recreation market growth is aided by stable economic growth forecasted in many developed and developing countries. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that the global GDP growth was 3.2% in 2019 and 3.5% in 2020. Recovering commodity prices further expected to aid the market growth. Developed economies are also expected to register stable growth during the forecast period. Additionally, emerging markets are expected to continue to grow slightly faster than the developed markets in the forecast period. For instance, India’s GDP grew by 7.2%, whereas China registered GDP growth of 6.0% in 2020. Stable economic growth is expected to in end user markets, thereby driving the market during forecast period. This continued economic growth is expected to increase investments in the end user markets and be a driver of the recreation market as greater affluence allows consumers to visit recreation centers.

Amusement parks are increasingly using virtual and augmented reality technology to provide an immersive experience to customers. Virtual reality is a 3D, computer generated environment which can interact with a person, whereas augmented reality turns an environment into a digital interface by placing virtual objects in the real world. Amusement parks are implementing this technology in rides and theater-based attractions. For instance, Plopsaland De Panne in De Panne, Belgium has a new virtual reality wooden roller coaster called Heidi The Ride, which can reach speeds of more than 43 mph. Amusement park SeaWorld has started operating a new Kraken Virtual Reality Roller Coaster in Orlando. The Weave Breaker coaster brings the reality of jet skiing in an amusement park. Universal Studios have The Walking Dead mazes with augmented reality elements.

Africa

State of the African Video Game Industry 2026: Xsolla Backs SpielFabrique’s Definitive Market Report

Published

9 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

state-of-the-african-video-game-industry-2026:-xsolla-backs-spielfabrique’s-definitive-market-report

Xsolla today announced its support for State of the African Video Game Industry 2026, a comprehensive new report from SpielFabrique and researcher PhD Prince Oguguo that maps the size, structure, and growth dynamics of Africa’s fast-evolving games ecosystem. The study delivers data-driven insight into developer realities, market infrastructure, monetization trends and strategic recommendations for partners and investors.

Key findings at a glance

Market size: Africa’s video games industry generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenue in 2024, driven predominantly by mobile gaming (≈90% of the market).
Growth drivers: A young, mobile-first population, rising smartphone adoption and broader digital services are fueling above-average expansion across the continent.
Structural challenges: Persistent pain points include payment friction, limited funding, uneven internet and platform infrastructure, and the lack of a unified continental market.
Diverse ecosystems: The report stresses regional variation — with deep dives into Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco — showing how local payment systems, regulation and culture shape monetization and discoverability.

Why this report matters

“Supporting research like this helps ground industry conversations in real data and lived developer experience,” said Ilayda Bayari, VP of Business Development, MEA + Southern Europe at Xsolla. The report equips publishers, platforms, investors and policy-makers with actionable intelligence to build more sustainable partnerships with African developers.

Focus areas and recommendations

SpielFabrique’s study examines three critical levers for growth:

Payments & distribution: Local payment methods and mobile money are essential to improve conversion and lifetime value for African titles.
Funding & infrastructure: Targeted investment and improved developer tools/platforms are needed to scale studios beyond domestic markets.
Talent & esports: Clearer talent pathways, education programmes and esports ecosystems will strengthen local production and audience engagement.

Regional snapshots

The research highlights how national differences influence outcomes: strong indie scenes in Nigeria and Kenya, established studios and distribution channels in South Africa, and growing developer communities in North African markets such as Egypt and Morocco.

Launch and supporting activity

The State of the African Video Game Industry 2026 report became available on January 29, 2026, and was launched with a coordinated website feature, social media rollout and a post-launch community webinar to share insights and facilitate industry discussion.

Voices from the field

“After more than seven years working alongside African game makers and ecosystem builders, I’m proud to share this comprehensive overview of where the market stands today,” said Pr. Odile Limpach, Co-founder of SpielFabrique. The report aims to catalyze cooperation and make markets more visible — enabling partners to act on opportunities while appreciating local challenges.

The post State of the African Video Game Industry 2026: Xsolla Backs SpielFabrique’s Definitive Market Report appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

betting automation

Huddle Launches Upgraded Ice Hockey Odds Feed for 2026 Winter Olympics & NHL Coverage

Published

10 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

huddle-launches-upgraded-ice-hockey-odds-feed-for-2026-winter-olympics-&-nhl-coverage

Huddle, the premium odds-feed provider, today announced a major upgrade to its global ice hockey product ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The release adds proprietary automation, broader market coverage and enhanced uptime—bringing sharper player-prop pricing and deeper pre-match and live micro-markets for operators worldwide.

Automated, adaptable trading for every competition

Huddle’s enhanced offering is powered by an adaptable trading model built to handle tournaments, league play and one-off matches. Operators accessing the product via Huddle’s Unified Odds Feed or through direct integration will gain reliable markets across top competitions including the NHL, Sweden’s SHL, and the Czech Extraliga. The update targets historical volatility in non-major leagues and simplifies trading across rule variations and local formats.

Deeper markets, better player-prop accuracy

The upgraded feed increases market depth for both pre-match and in-play action, with focused coverage on popular player-prop markets such as Player Goals, Points, and Next Goalscorer—plus a range of micro-markets that drive re-betting and longer player engagement. Improved automation reduces manual intervention, delivering faster, more accurate lines and higher uptime for operator platforms.

Engineered for uptime and regional coverage

Huddle reworked the underlying architecture to meet the demands of global distribution and local league nuances. The resilient framework gives operators confidence that regional competitions and live events are priced consistently—removing friction and reducing operational risk when covering the full ice hockey calendar.

Operator benefits: trust, revenue, and retention

By combining precise player props, expanded market coverage and robust uptime, Huddle’s ice hockey upgrade helps operators:

Increase re-bet frequency and session length through granular micro-markets
Improve conversion with reliable live pricing and reduced latency
Expand product breadth across markets and regions without excessive engineering overhead

Leadership view

Francesco Borgosano, CEO at Huddle, said the Winter Olympics spotlight makes consistent coverage crucial: “We recognize that an NHL-centric approach isn’t enough… we’ve established a model that accounts for all variables to deliver the most premium, wide-ranging odds feed. From the gold medal game in Milan to a regular season match in the Extraliga, we’ve honed our product to be adaptable and profitable.”

Market context and next steps

The ice hockey upgrade follows Huddle’s recent distribution expansions for its NBA pricing feed, applying the same granular trading approach to hockey markets that are growing across Europe and the U.S. Operators can integrate via the Unified Odds Feed or direct API to unlock expanded ice hockey markets in time for Olympic and league-season demand.

The post Huddle Launches Upgraded Ice Hockey Odds Feed for 2026 Winter Olympics & NHL Coverage appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

combat sports

GoldenRace & ISIBET Pro Partner to Expand Virtual Sports Across Italy

Published

10 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

goldenrace-&-isibet-pro-partner-to-expand-virtual-sports-across-italy

GoldenRace has signed a strategic distribution and integration deal with ISIBET Pro to accelerate the availability of premium Virtual Sports across the Italian online market.

The partnership connects GoldenRace’s award-winning portfolio to roughly 20 operators through a single technical bridge, instantly scaling reach and simplifying operator onboarding.

Fast scale, one integration

By integrating with ISIBET Pro’s platform, GoldenRace offers operators a turnkey route to deploy high-performance virtual betting content without multiple separate integrations. This “one integration, many operators” approach reduces time-to-market and technical overhead while giving operators immediate access to GoldenRace’s most popular titles.

A sportsbook-first virtual experience

ISIBET Pro selected GoldenRace to meet growing operator demand for “sportsbook-first” Virtual Sports—products engineered to mimic real sporting dynamics, deliver authentic betting markets, and drive sustained player engagement. GoldenRace’s portfolio emphasizes realism and playability, including:

Virtual Football — the world’s most-played virtual football product
Realistic Horse Racing — high-frequency, realistic race simulations
Combat Sports — unique, fast-paced virtual fight content

Executive perspectives

“Our focus has always been to be where the players are, but doing so efficiently is what separates a good strategy from a great one,” said Martin Wachter, CEO & Founder of GoldenRace. “Italy is a core market for us, and by joining forces with ISIBET Pro, we ensure that our market-leading Virtual Sports are just a click away for a huge segment of the Italian online audience.”

Romano Biondi, CEO of ISIBET Pro, added: “Integrating GoldenRace into our platform allows our partners to offer a premier Virtual Sports experience that Italian players already know and trust. It’s about adding real value and reliable revenue drivers to the online vertical.”

Benefits for Italian operators and players

Operators on the ISIBET Pro network gain competitive advantages including:

Immediate access to proven Virtual Sports content via one unified technical bridge
Enhanced player engagement through sportsbook-style markets and realistic simulations
Faster deployment and reduced integration costs, increasing potential revenue streams

Outlook

This strategic alliance strengthens GoldenRace’s footprint in a key European market and solidifies ISIBET Pro’s position as a platform provider focused on premium, sportsbook-first virtual content. For Italian operators seeking high-quality virtual product integrations and reliable revenue drivers, the GoldenRace–ISIBET Pro partnership delivers scale, speed, and proven player appeal.

The post GoldenRace & ISIBET Pro Partner to Expand Virtual Sports Across Italy appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.